ON THE RECORD | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Martyna Starosta
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering investigate sexual assault in the music industry.
Festival Section:
Documentary Premieres
Sundance Program Description:
This documentary presents the haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon, whose career and personal life have been deeply affected by the abuse she faced from the men she admired in the industry she loves. Directed by the Academy Award-nominated filmmaking duo Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (THE INVISIBLE WAR, 2012 Sundance Film Festival), the film follows Dixon (producer of hit records by 2Pac, Method Man, and Mary J Blige) as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color to come forward as part of the #MeToo movement.
ON THE RECORD is a gripping, complex study of race, gender, and the shared feelings of helplessness and terror that come from abuse. Through her bravery, Dixon inspired many previously silenced women to share their stories. These incredibly strong silence-breakers discuss their reluctance to add to the dangerous mythology and vilification of black men, resulting in their refusal to make those allegations public for decades. ON THE RECORD is a well-needed impetus for broad positive change – not just in the music industry but throughout the world.
Some Background:
Directors/Producers/Writer:
Past Sundance docs:
THE HUNTING GROUND (2015)
THE INVISIBLE WAR
THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED (2006)
TWIST OF FAITH (2005)
DERRIDA (2002)
CHAIN CAMERA (2001)
SICK: THE LIFE & DEATH OF BOB FLANAGAN, SUPERMASOCHIST (1997)
Dick is a twice Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker who works through his Chain Camera Pictures production company with partner Amy Ziering.
Past Sundance docs:
CAMERAPERSON (2016, executive producer)
THE HUNTING GROUND (producer)
THE INVISIBLE WAR (producer)
DERRIDA (director/producer)
Chain Camera Pictures’ Ziering is also an Oscar nominee and two-time Emmy winner.
Producers:
Herdy is an investigative reporter. As part of Dick/Ziering’s Chain Camera, she produced their most recent doc, THE BLEEDING EDGE, and also served as an investigative producer for THE HUNTING GROUND.
Rogers previously associate produced THE BLEEDING EDGE.
Co-Producer:
Mazie is a film publicist. This is his first Sundance producing credit.
Executive Producers:
Recent past Sundance docs:
SHOOTING THE MAFIA (2019)
BISBEE ’17 (2018)
OF FATHERS AND SONS (2018)
OUR NEW PRESIDENT (2018)
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR (2018)
BENDING THE ARC (2017)
DINA (2017)
ICARUS (2017)
STEP (2017)
TROPHY (2017)
UNREST (2017)
THE HUNTING GROUND
Cogan, the Oscar-winning co-founder and chairman of Impact Partners, has recently launched Story Syndicate, his own production company in partnership with acclaimed filmmaker Liz Garbus. He also serves as executive producer for fellow 2020 Sundance titles SPACESHIP EARTH and US KIDS, in the US Documentary Competition; EPICENTRO, in the World Cinema Documentary Competition; and GIVING VOICE, and ASSASSINS, in Documentary Premieres.
Recent past Sundance docs:
KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE (2019)
ALWAYS IN SEASON (2019)
THE GREAT HACK (2019)
306 HOLLYWOOD (2018)
GENERATION WEALTH (2018)
BISBEE ’17
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING (2018)
STEP
UNREST
DOLORES (2017)
THE HUNTING GROUND
THE INVISIBLE WAR
The Artemis Rising Foundation founder and CEO is an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated social entrepreneur and philanthropist focused on transforming culture through media, education, and the arts. She also executive produced US KIDS, THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS, and AGGIE in this year’s festival.
Past Sundance docs:
UNREST
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD (2015)
HELL AND BACK AGAIN (2011)
Darling is a leading Australian philanthropist and social impact filmmaker.
Past Sundance docs:
ALWAYS IN SEASON
MOONLIGHT SONATA: DEAFNESS IN THREE MOVEMENTS (2019)
THE DEVIL WE KNOW (2018)
INVENTING TOMORROW (2018)
THIS IS HOME (2018)
BENDING THE ARC
Philanthropist Quillin also executive produced THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS. She has been a past creative advisor to Sundance’s Catalyst Forum and also supported the 2018 fiction title NIGHT COMES ON and 2017 Sundance VR project THE SKY IS A GAP. Quillin’s husband is Netflix CEO Reed Hastings.
Past Sundance docs:
HOT GIRLS WANTED (2015)
Lovell is a philanthropist and president of the David and Lura Lovell Foundation.
Johnson is a business executive/CEO, activist, and philanthropist focused on global environmental consciousness, human dignity, and equality. She previously executive produced THE BLEEDING EDGE.
Recent past Sundance docs:
ALWAYS IN SEASON
THE GREAT HACK
SHOOTING THE MAFIA
306 HOLLYWOOD
GENERATION WEALTH
BISBEE ’17
OF FATHERS AND SONS
OUR NEW PRESIDENT
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR
BENDING THE ARC
STEP
THE HUNTING GROUND
THE INVISIBLE WAR
The Oscar and Emmy-winning co-founder of both Impact Partners and Gamechanger Films also has produced several Sundance fiction and VR alumni projects and has served as a creative advisor for Sundance’s Catalyst Forum. For the 2020 festival, she also serves as executive producer for SPACESHIP EARTH, US KIDS, ASSASSINS, GIVING VOICE; as well as THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS in the World Cinema Documentary Competition; AGGIE in Documentary Premieres); BORN INTO BROTHELS in From the Collection; and executive producer/key collaborator for the New Frontier exhibition PERSUASION MACHINES.
Past Sundance docs:
THE HUNTING GROUND
Smolyansky is the president/CEO of Lifeway Foods and a philanthropist concerned with domestic violence and sexual assault.
Editor/Writer:
This is Newens’ first Sundance project.
Why You Should Watch:
There’s extraordinary power in the unforgettable, upsetting testimony shared by Dixon and the other courageous women featured in Dick and Ziering’s moving film. The filmmakers have successfully used their previous projects to shift the national conversation, and one expects they will marshal their experience to do the same with this vital and timely issue.
More Info:
For Sundance screening dates and times, click the film title in the first paragraph.
what (not) to doc 